About This Plan

Guiding decisions & identifying priorities.

Salt Lake City (SLC) adopted a citywide Transit Master Plan to guide decisions and identify investment priorities for public transportation within the City. The Plan was created by SLC, in close coordination with Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and regional agencies. Learn more below.

The City has a commitment to continually improve transportation for the benefit of the community by providing choices in travel. The Mayor’s Livability Agenda states that transportation should,“further develop connections between the City’s activity centers with a safe, clean, and green travel network that will help us: (1) use resources and time efficiently and wisely to get around town; (2) connect with our fellow residents through personal interactions; (3) foster stronger relationships with our local business, entertainment, and arts organizations; and (4) share and enjoy our parks and natural spaces.”The City Council has adopted a philosophy statement that directly addresses transit and it states, “Salt Lake City residents should have choices in modes of transportation which are safe, reliable, affordable, and sustainable. Residents should reap the value of well-designed transportation systems that connect residents to neighborhoods and the rest of the region. The City encourages alternatives to motorized-vehicular transportation and making those options more appealing and accessible to visitors and residents”.

What is the purpose of the Transit Master Plan?

The purpose of this Plan is to document, through process and analysis, SLC’s short, medium and long-term public transportation needs, goals, and implementation strategies to support the stated desires for improving transit for SLC. The Plan is based on the following key principles:

A transit system that is optimized for a variety of factors such as mobility, economic development, sustainable growth and land use patterns, regional access to SLC, and is complementary with other travel modes

A robust, inclusive and equitable public process

Coordination with other transportation plans and investments, those of both the City and other agencies, to leverage resources for expanded success

Will draw from successful processes and plans that have been undertaken in other places as models

Collaboration among City divisions/departments, local and regional stakeholders, and federal partners, with an emphasis on coordination with other transit providers, including UTA, the University of Utah, and SLC School Districts

This Plan will guide decisions and identify investment priorities in public transportation to meet the community’s current and future needs and desires. It will include an in-depth analysis of how people are traveling today, the strengths and weaknesses of the current mass transit system, and projections for future growth to identify a network of corridors for investment. The Plan will be developed in close coordination with Utah Transit Authority (UTA), city departments, and community members. It will build on and coordinate with other local regional planning efforts and investments. The Plan will provide recommendations for the City to focus resources more efficiently and realize City goals. It will serve as a key framing document to align priorities and needs, guide decision making about the timing and location of capital investments, and emphasize an increase in transit mode share citywide.

Both the City Council and the Mayor have adopted policy statements about the importance of creating transit choices to connect residents to neighborhoods and the rest of the region and increase the City’s sustainability. Good local circulation isn’t just good for our residents; it also makes commuting by transit a more viable choice, reduces congestion and road maintenance in the City, allows visitors to navigate our City without a car, and could allow for a more vibrant night life. The Plan will further verify and develop goals for the public transportation system through an inclusive public process.

What is transit?

Transit, or public transportation, is a shared transportation service that is commonly available for public use. Buses, streetcar, TRAX, and FrontRunner are all examples of transit.

How long will this study take?

The Plan is projected to be completed by the end of 2015 and recommended for official adoption by City Council in early 2016.

What’s UTA’s role in this planning effort?

The Plan is a City-led project and all questions and comments should be directed to the City. However, the Utah Transit Authority, the transit provider for the Salt Lake region, is a key stakeholder of this project and will provide valuable input and guidance.

Why is public input necessary?

Public input is important to:

Identify how people are using the public transportation network today

Identify key gaps in the public transportation network

Identify key public transportation corridors for improvement

Determine how to encourage use of public transportation

When will the public be invited to participate in the planning process?

There will be opportunities for public involvement on an ongoing basis throughout the planning process. During the summer, the Plan Bus will be visiting your local neighborhoods and festivals to gather input about how public transportation can best serve residents. There will also be opportunities to give feedback online through an interactive survey and on Open City Hall. Towards the end of the planning process, the City will hold an open house to present the initial findings and recommendations that will form the heart of the Plan. Of course, providing input will always be welcome through the project website.

What will the City do with my input?

Input received will be used to determine the priority corridors, as well as determining which transit-supportive policies, programs, and infrastructure will be most beneficial to the Salt Lake community.

How can I learn about the Plan and provide input if I can’t make it to any of the public events?

The information presented at public events and to the City Council will be posted on the Documents page. If you have any questions or want to learn more about the information presented, please contact the Project Team here.